Stop Playing Small - Win Big!

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Hey, it's Will here…. 

Before diving into StartSmart today, I welcome all our new subscribers!

Thank you!

Ok, let's sit down for a minute…

If you and I were having coffee right now, I’d ask you something simple, but probably uncomfortable:

“You're working hard… but are you actually moving?”

Because from what I hear all week from brilliant solopreneurs like you, it’s not that you’re lazy.

You're probably doing too much!

You’ve got Slack pings, Google Docs open, a Notion board full of "big plans," and another tab with a podcast you’re half-listening to.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: You can be wildly productive… and still stuck.

And that “stuck” feeling? It’s not because you’re failing.
It’s because you’ve outgrown the way you’ve been operating.

And if you're nodding right now — good. That’s the awareness that changes everything.

So let’s walk through the shift together:

• Not more effort.

• Not more stuff.

• But a new standard.

Here’s how it works.

🧩 Step 1: Think Bigger — Way Bigger

I want to ask you something.

When was the last time you set a goal that truly scared you?

Not one that you knew you could do if you just worked a little harder... I mean one that made your chest tighten a bit when you spoke it out loud?

The reality is that when we feel stuck, our brains often shift into “safe mode.”

We start aiming low — not because we’re incapable, but because small feels comfortable.

But here’s the catch: Small goals don’t activate your genius. They keep you busy.

That big vision you had when you started?
Still there. Just buried under fear, “realism,” and maybe a bit of burnout.

Let me say this as clearly as I can:

It’s essential to start identifying problems worth solving to achieve different outcomes.

Big goals sharpen your focus.

They energize you.

They attract smarter solutions and braver decisions.

Let’s make this real:

What if, starting today, you stopped setting “safe” goals...
…and started asking: What would blow my damn mind if I pulled it off this year?

Small goals protect your ego. Big goals build your future.

Let that question simmer.

✅ Let’s Try Something:

Right now — on paper — write this:

👉 “If I couldn’t fail and had to 10X my outcome this year, what would I do?”

Don’t edit. Don’t soften it.

Say what you really want.

Then take a breath.

Because now we’ve got something worth chasing.

You’ve probably been thinking way too small for way too long.

💬 Quick Gut Check:

Are you feeling a little fired up? Or a little overwhelmed?
Either is okay — both mean you’re waking up again.

Now let’s take that fire and make it move.

🧩 Step 2: Play Smarter — Strategy Over Struggle

Now let’s talk about how you’re working.

Because here's the reality: Hustle is not a long-term strategy; it’s a short-term coping mechanism.

Remember, measuring your worth by the fullness of your calendar or how exhausted you feel by 6 PM isn’t the best strategy.

That’s survival.

I want to challenge something:

What if you could do less — and get more?

I know, sounds like clickbait… but hang with me.

The highest-performing solopreneurs I know?

They aren’t the busiest.

They’re focused and know exactly where they’re going!

They’ve learned only to do what matters most — and drop the rest like dead weight.

Let me ask you this:

• What would you do if you could only work 10 focused hours this week?

• What would move your business forward?

That’s your playbook. Everything else is noise.

The world doesn’t reward exhaustion. It rewards results.

Be ruthless with your time. Not everything urgent is important.

✅ Do This Today:

Look at your to-do list. Now, cross out anything that doesn’t directly connect to:

• Revenue

• Growth

• Impact

What’s left? Probably not much. That’s the point.

Focus is freedom.

Let your AI be the StartSmart filter that your stressed brain can’t be.

💬 Gut Check:

Still with me?

Good, because now comes the part most people really resist.

Let’s talk identity.

🧩 Step 3: Upgrade Your Operating System (aka: Mindset)

Look, we can talk strategy all day.

But none of it sticks if you’re still operating with an old identity.

Here’s what I mean: You can have the best offers, tactics, and tools…

But if your internal narrative is still saying:

• “I hope I can pull this off.”

• “I’m just trying to make it work.”

• “I need to feel more confident before I go big…”

You’re already toast.

You don’t build a bold business from a timid identity.

Let that sink in.

You need to start acting like the best version of yourself who has already succeeded before the world catches up.

And I get it — impostor syndrome is real.

But the truth?

Most “imposters” are people who haven’t realized they’ve outgrown their old selves and can’t get out of their own way.

Identity isn’t something you wait for.

It’s something you wear — now. Before the trophies. Before the applause.

✅ Do This:

Right now, complete this:

👉 “The version of me who wins at the next level thinks like this: [List 3 mindset shifts you need to make].”

Examples:

• “I move fast and learn loud.”

• “I solve problems that pay well.”

• “I act now, not someday.”

Now here’s the secret:

Act like that version of you for the next 72 hours.

Test it.

Embody it.

You’ll start to feel the shift before you even get the results.

Tape it to your laptop.

Say it out loud every morning like it already happened.

You’ll be shocked how your brain starts to believe it.

🛠️ Weekly Recap — Your 3-Part Shift

Here’s what we’re walking into this week:

✅ Think Bigger.
Stop hiding behind tiny goals. Play a game worth showing up for.

✅ Play Smarter.
More isn't better. Better is better.

✅ Upgrade Your Identity.
You already are the person you're waiting to become. Act accordingly.

🔥Final Thoughts:

Let’s be honest here?

Most people don’t fail because they weren’t good enough.

They fail because they couldn’t let go of who they used to be.

You're not stuck because you don’t know what to do.

You’re stuck because you’re still waiting to feel “ready” — instead of moving like the next-level best version of you already exists.

So let’s skip the overthinking this week.

Let’s skip the fake productivity.

Let’s skip the safe goals.

You’re done playing small.

Remember: While everyone plays checkers, you play a masterful chess game.

And that's what makes the difference.

This Week's Hot Question: "What will you change to play a bigger game that will propel you to the next level? If you have no ideas, ask your reliable AI assistant for help. "

Until then, Think Big, Play Smart, and Build Strong.

To your success,

-Coach Will

Please let me know if you have any comments or require assistance. I read everything; you never know what doors might open from a simple conversation.

📣 P.S. Want to Think Bigger, Move Smarter, and Build Faster — with a Crew That Gets It?

👉 Join the StartSmart Insider Community here!

No fluff. No grind.

Just real momentum, bold clarity, and a few savvy solopreneurs tired of running in circles.

We’re building something bigger over here.

Get what’s yours.

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